by Sourced

Outstanding performances at regional Big Sing

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On Tuesday, 18 June, 67 students travelled to Tauranga to compete in the annual Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional round of the National Big Sing choir competition.

St Paul’s had three choirs competing – a 45 strong all-comers boys’ choir called 'The Notables'; a girls’ choir of 20 students called 'Noteworthy',  and an elite group of 22 singers called 'First Fifteen Chamber Choir'. 

Each choir presented a recital of three pieces, all of them performing the best they have ever done. 'The Notables' sang an Italian ballad called Viva Tutti, a Gaelic folk song called Dulaman, and Lest We Forget written by local composer Angela Smith, the mother of two St Paul’s students. 

'Noteworthy' performed He Moemoea by New Zealand composer Anthony Ritchie, Remember Me by Bob Chilcott, and Jay Althouse’s jazzy version of Cry me a River, together with choreography that the girls composed. 

'The First Fifteen Chamber Choir' sang a challenging programme including Bob Chilcott’s jazzed up version of Scarborough Fair, New Zealand composer Craig Utting’s Monument, and a percussive A Capella piece called Other Plans by Australian Lisa Young.

The students had put in endless hours of rehearsals in order to produce an end result they could all be proud of.

Despite what all those present considered were fantastic performances, St Paul’s weren’t given the prizes they had hoped for, with 'The Notables' receiving a Commended, and both the 'Noteworthy' and 'First Fifteen Chamber Choir' awarded Highly Commended.

However, two days later, upon revision by all the national judges we received exciting news! The 'First Fifteen Chamber Choir' has been selected for ‘Cadenza’ - the North Island final of the Big Sing competition. Alongside Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, Rotorua Boys’ High School, Bethlehem College, and a selection of Auckland schools, St Paul’s will be travelling to Rotorua for this competition in week six of term three.

Well done to all of our choristers for the immense amount of hard work you put into preparing for this year’s competition; good luck to the chamber choir and thank you to the staff who made this opportunity possible – Mrs Johnson, Miss Schollum, Mr Gilbert, our accompanist, Mr Greenslade and most of all to our choral directors, Mr Carpenter and Miss Bryant.